This year, NHFCU’s Nominating Committee has recommended three nominees for Board positions. Each nominee’s term length is listed below.

James P. (Jim) Fredyma joined the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services in 1976 and became Controller in 1993. Prior to retirement in 2012, Jim oversaw the department’s budget and financial management, procurement and contracting process and supervised the statewide Employee Assistance Program.

Jim was a member of the Board of Directors of the New England States Consortium Systems Organization, which consists of the six New England states’ health and human services departments and the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Health Care Financing. He was also a member and Past President of the National Association of State Human Services Finance Officers. Jim serves as the Commissioner’s designee to the New Hampshire Nuclear Decommissioning Financing Committee.

Jim currently is the Chair of the Credit Union’s Board of Directors. He also serves on the Credit Union’s Governance Committee. Jim has participated in the Credit Union’s volunteer achievement and continuing education programs, completing twelve courses. He has earned the Supervisory Committee, Technology, Credit Committee and Edward A. Filene Awards in 2007 and 2008. Jim volunteers as a member of the Hopkinton Planning Board and Economic Development Committee and serves on the Boards of the Hopkinton Historical Society and Friends of the Hopkinton Town Library.

Jim and his wife, Judy, have been married forty-three years, have three children, one granddaughter and reside in Contoocook. (Three-Year Term)

Avis L. Crane has been a member of New Hampshire Federal Credit Union since 1978 and has served on the Board since 2022.

Avis graduated from Concord High School in 1972, received a Bachelor of Science in 1976 from Keene State College, and received a Master of Science from Southern NH University (then New Hampshire College) in 1998.

Now retired, Avis was employed by the State of New Hampshire for almost 44 years, the final 20 years in the Department of Information Technology.

Avis has been actively involved in the State Employees’ Association, Local SEIU 1984, for 40-plus years, serving in various roles, including the Board of Directors.

Avis has lived in Concord’s South End for more than 30 years. (Three-Year Term)

Brent A. Hawkins is a member of New Hampshire Federal Credit Union.  He sat on the NHFCU Supervisory Committee prior to assuming his current position on the NHFCU Board of Directors.

Brent previously worked as a professional aviator, having flown as a pilot for Delta Air Lines worldwide for 29 years, following his 9-year service in the US Air Force as a Command Pilot and instructor.  Brent’s background also includes law enforcement, IT management, programming and transportation coordination.  He has also owned several small businesses.  Brent’s broad career history has given him in-depth experience with budgets, logistics, team building, safety, security and resource management.

Brent’s education includes a B.A. in General Studies (pre-law) from the University of Texas and an M.S. in Human Resource Management from Central Michigan University.  He graduated from the US Marine Corps Command and Staff College and various courses at the US Air Force Institute of Technology and other USAF and Delta Air Lines courses.  (Two-Year Term)